(Desert sage; Basin sagebrush)
This iconic sagebrush of the American West is a pale-grey shrub that can reach 1m/3ft in height. The foliage has a strong pungent aroma and bitter taste owing to the presence of camphor and terpenoids. Native Americans traditionally burn dried leaves and stems in homes and sweatlodges to purify the air. Some believe that this is the "sage" that is most used for ceremonial smudging among the First Nations peoples of the western states and provinces of North America. A decoction of leaves was used for pneumonia, and an infusion was widely used for coughs and colds, fever, sore throat, and runny nose. But the traditional use of sagebrush internally must have been carefully limited because the plant oils are known to be toxic to the liver if taken inappropriately.